Thomas o beien



(No Model.)

T. OBRIEN.

VEHICLE HUB.

No. 389,101. Patented 861313.4 1888.

wgmmw.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrren,

THOMAS OBRIEN, OF COLDWATER, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO THE COLDYVATER ROAD CART COMPANY, OF SAMEPLACE.

VEHICLE HUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,101, datedSeptember 4, 1888.

Application filed April 4, 1888. Serial No. 269.579. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Goldwater, in the county of Branch and State of Michigan,haveinvented certain newand useful Improvements in Hubs; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to vehicle-hubs of I5 that class which comprisesa wooden center and a metallic shell or case. In this class of hubs asheretofore constructed the center of the shell curves outward, leaving aspace be tween it and the hub, which space is spanned 2c at regularintervals by ribs or lugs cast with the shell and bearing against thehub. Such shells are difficultto adj ust,and when contracting oftentimescrack, because of the resisting ribs or other projections bearingagainst the hub. Again, it is well known that moisture will find its wayinto the center of the hub by following the spokes, and will cause thecenter of the hub to expand. Obviously, if the shell tightly embracesthis portion of the hub it must be rent asunder to accommodate theexpansion of the hub, and when the space between the hub and shell isinterrupted by ribs which divide the space into a series of compartmentsa free circulation of air cannot be v had to take up and carry away thismoisture, which must remain in the hub a longer time than necessary,causing decay.

The object of my invention is to obviate all or nearly all theobjections existing against similar prior devices, and to provide a hubthat will permitthe shell to contract and expand and the hub to swellwithout detriment to the said shell, and which at the same time willhave an uninterrupted space between the 5 middle of the hub and themiddle of the shell to permit of slight variations in size of either thehub or the shell, as previously intimated, and allow of a freeventilation, and which will rapidly dissipate any moisture that mightfind its way into the center of the hub. Theshell will have lugs at theends of the spoke-openings to brace the spokesla-terally. Theselugs willproject outward for a dual purpose nan1ely,to brace the spokes as farfrom the center of the hub as possible and to leave the in- 5 5 teriorof the shell perfectly smooth.

In the drawings, Figure l is acentral longitudinal section of a hubembodying myinvention; Fig. 2, a vertical crosssection on theline X X ofFig. 1.

The hub A is of usual construction, having the spokemortises a setstaggering, and hav ing the sides of its middle portion parallel. Theshell 13, incasing nearly the entire hub, save its inner end, iscontracted atits endsand 5 expanded or swelled intermediate of its ends,leaving an annular space, 0, between the middle portion of the shell andthe middleportion of the hub. The contracted ends of the shell fit thehub closely and are the only points that come in contact with the saidhub. Thespokeopenings b in the shell correspond in number and registerwith the openings at in the hub, and are provided at their ends withradial lugs b, that extend outward and embrace the 75 sides of thespokes. The sides of the hubbeing parallel and equal in diameter to thediameter of the inner end of the shell, manifestly the said shell can bereadily slipped on or off the hub. W'heu in position, the shell is heldon the hub by the spokes D, which pass through the shell and enter thehub.

Having thus described my invention,what claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is 8 The herein shown and described shell or case forvehicle-hubs, having its inner side smooth, and having its endscontracted to embrace the ends of the hub,and having its middle portionexpanded to leave a space between it and thehub, and provided withspoke-openings and with radial lugs at the ends of the spokeopeningsthat extend outward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' THOMAS OBBIEN.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. DIGKEY, Asses Gnasou.

